The war against Iran has cost the U.S. government $38 billion since it began, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan agency, reported yesterday, Tuesday; its estimates cover the period through August.
The CBO warned that even if the intensity of the armed conflict decreases, the cost will continue to rise by $2 billion per month. In the event of an escalation, as has occurred in recent weeks, the cost will rise by $3 billion a month.
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The Houthis attacked airports in Saudi Arabia
These costs include, among other things, ammunition and equipment used in combat, as well as the rising costs of fuel consumed by the U.S. armed forces.
According to the agency’s calculations, the cost of replacing ammunition expended in the war, which began on February 28, will amount to $21.7 billion.
The CBO also expresses concern about the decline in stockpiles of interceptor missiles. Comparing the costs of these missiles with the total number purchased, the U.S. “has likely used between half and two-thirds of its stockpile since June 2025,” it noted.
On Monday, a report by the Pentagon’s inspector general confirmed that there are “shortages” of ammunition due to the war in Iran—a finding that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has categorically denied in recent months.
The CBO’s analysis was conducted at the request of Democratic lawmakers.
In July, Secretary of War Pete Hegesez stated that the cost of the war amounted to $37.5 billion.
The CBO also estimates that the war in Iran will have an impact on inflation in the U.S., primarily due to the disruptions it causes to oil and gas supplies.
Since the outbreak of the war, Tehran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a sea lane of strategic importance for global hydrocarbon trade.
Based on the PCE index, the Budget Office raised its inflation forecast for the first quarter of 2027 by 0.5 points compared to February.
Its forecast for core inflation—i.e., or “core inflation,” which excludes volatile energy and food prices—was also revised upward by 0.3%.
The rise in inflation will also lead to higher borrowing rates, the CBO added.
Source: APE-MPE
